Different rules for different teams.

Skeeter said:
I will see if I can find some engine usage stats, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that most cars will have used 2 engines within the first 4 flyaway races, where the cars don't return to base.
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I don't doubt that - in the past they have generally try to use a new engine at Monza and Spa too (though its highly unlikely they can with only 4 to start with).

But if this loophole has existed since the rules were introduced, they've had more than a year to plan the updates for this season and how and when to introduce them, so there's nothing to say they won't just try to use 1 engine for the first quarter of the season if the upgrade to the 2nd engine will bring in sufficient performance improvements, and so on for the rest of the season.

If the FIA are going to allow this but exclude Honda why not give Honda the opportunity to use 5 engines this season, as the others were last, and then allow Honda the entire 2016 season to do in-season upgrades? You know it's not going to happen though.
 
The counter argument is that by allowing them to upgrade their engines during the season, those manufacturers will be starting the year with an underperforming engine.
 
Ah OK.

But that's not what I meant. I meant that any manufacturer that hasn't used up all their development tokens by the start of the season will be running an engine that isn't as good as it could have been had they been able to get all the development done in time.

I.e. if Ferrari wait to bring a new better turbo along in June, they have missed out on being able to use that turbo in the races from March to June.
 
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Yes, but the point still stands. Teams will have chosen months back how they want to approach this season and which upgrades will be done when, so their timescales are optimised (Ronspeak™).

They've got the choice to use of their tokens now (if they're able to) or keep them for later in the season if they feel more time that would reap greater rewards. Honda has no choice in the matter and could potentially be some distance behind come the end of the season, even if they start on par with the others.
 
Thinking about this... if the FIA can make a change to the 2015 rules allowing development but banning Honda from making them, and can then make changes again to allow Honda, why couldn't they just make the change to put the 28th Feb into the rules that they missed out and fix it all? :confused:
 
Skeeter said:
Thinking about this... if the FIA can make a change to the 2015 rules allowing development but banning Honda from making them, and can then make changes again to allow Honda, why couldn't they just make the change to put the 28th Feb into the rules that they missed out and fix it all? :confused:
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Oh come on, you and everyone else here knows that's FAR too sensible for the FIA:D

they finally made a bad situation better (even if they had to be pushed and prodded) - although they could have fixed it completely to start with, but then it IS the FIA we are talking about
 
I believe they can only force through immediate changes under safety grounds. Any other changes need the agreement of the teams which Renault and Ferrari won't give for obvious reasons.
 
I can't blame Honda for whining and moaning and trying to exploit it but ultimately a single team now has gained the right to make more changes than the rules specified that ALL the teams agreed on.

Lets say Honda now get 15 tokens to change throughout the year, compared to the rules agreed to by Honda, Renault, Merc and Ferrari, Honda have 15 more tokens to develop than they agreed to.. first how is that fair and then, why can't the other teams complain about that being unfair, and ask for the same amount of increased tokens for themselves.


Compared to handing out extra tokens, when you use the tokens you are allowed to use is trivial by comparison. To even up a ridiculously small rule change... you hand out an absurdly massive advantage to one team? Realistically the other teams could have been arguing that Honda were being allowed to develop and entire new engine while they are stuck at 48% changes max, why can't they all just start and do a 100% new engine for this year and all be on a "level" peg.

Absolutely unreal decision. The rules were different because HONDA wanted to get into the new engines late, they got a set of rules and agreed to them, they are pretty lenient and allowed them some major advantages alongside the disadvantages that are a result of their own decision to only start in 2015.
 
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